Benny & Valerie Aldrich-Santa Fe Style- Turquoise/ Spiny Oyster/ Australian Opal/ Sugilite- Micro Mosaic Cross-2 Strand Sterling Bead Necklace
Benny & Valerie Aldrich-Santa Fe Style- Turquoise/ Spiny Oyster/ Australian Opal/ Sugilite- Micro Mosaic Cross-2 Strand Sterling Bead Necklace
FIRM ON SALE PRICE-SORRY, THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTS APPLIED.
This cross pendant/2 strand necklace came from a very influential Santa Fe collector who kept this locked up in safe,until I was asked to sell it
DESCRIPTION:
One thing about the Aldrich's work,is that right away, you know whose work it is.. Their look is very identifiable & is a look that you might say that has their name attached.What thisDurango ,Co. husband & wife duo do, is a technique that other artisans choose not to do, since it's time consuming, tedious & VERY technical. This type of art takes a steady hand, good eye sight & a whole LOT of patience to cut & shape this tiny of stones that then have to be precisely laid. I mean, just zoom in on the very very center of the cross!(photo 4 is a good example) Inside the orange spiny oyster, you have a diamond shape of purple Sugilite..Check out how small the stones are cut when you get to the very center, where it's literally a dot of blue turquoise! I don't know how they do it, but it's this tiny tiny detail, that has always impressed me with their work!
You won't find better mosaic work (Well maybe Zuni! ) & with this cross,the Aldrich's chose a vivid blue KIngman turquoise for their dominant color & then has accenting colors of purple Sugilite & 'Real" Australian Opal (Not the fake opal you see online!) that alternate in a zig zag pattern. Tiny slivers of lime green Orvil Jack turquoise & spiny oyster perfectly blend from the Kingman to the Sugilite/Opal pattern. The mosaic is so perfect,that it is hard to tell where one stone starts or the other begins! Normally with a mosaic technique, you see where the stones lay against the other,but with their art, you have to have a magnifying loupe!!
The cross sits in a serrated bezel & all the 'teeth' are in perfect shape. Has a shepherd's hook on back.The bead necklace has a nice patina..
The necklace is very versatile!!
1)You can leave as is, 2)take the cross off & put it on another necklace,3) wear the beads alone,4) put another pendant on them!
ARTISTS:BENNY & VALERIE ALDRICH (ALDRICH ART)
TRIBE: NONE~ANGLO WITH SOUTHWESTERN /NATIVE INFLUENCES
METAL: STERLING
METAL FINISH: LIGHTLY OXIDIZED-NATURAL PATINA
MATERIAL: BLUE KINGMAN & LIME GREEN ORVIL JACK TURQUOISE-PURPLE SUGILITE-AUSTRALIAN OPAL-SPINY OYSTER
**ALL STONES ARE QUALITY,HIGH GRADE**
2 STRAND STERLING BEAD NECKLACE MEASUREMENT: 17"(Can go longer with an extender)
CROSS MEASUREMENTS: 2-5/8" X 1-3/4" (WITH SHEPHERDS HOOK BALE)
CROSS ALONE: 2-1/8" X 1-3/4"
CROSS WEIGHT: 24.4 GRAMS
BEAD NECKLACE WEIGHT: 33.6 GRAMS(1.18 OUNCES)
TOTAL WEIGHT: 2 OUNCES -(58 GRAMS)
BALE CONNECTOR: SHEPHERD'S HOOK
TECHNIQUE: IMPECCABLE LAPIDARY,MOSAIC,STAMPWORK
CONDITION: EXCELLENT USED CONDITION,LIKE NEW.NO CRACKS,LOOSE STONES,ETC..
HALLMARK: ALDRICH
COMES GIFT BOXED
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SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:
***Because of the price,this will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement. If you're not home in the day & need it shipped where it can be signed for,please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***
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Please Note:.
*****I do not consider myself a 'professional photographer" but I do try to give you photos that are 'realistic" in color,just so you're not shocked, nor disappointed when you get the piece. I find photographing anything with 'yellow' in it, (orange, green) can come up a little more vivid,so please take this into consideration. **Please go through all photos to see ANY variation.
To give you close up photos,pictures tend to make the item look much more larger & everything is more magnified than in actuality. Close up's make the item look so large & then you get it in hand & you are shocked since the item is much smaller than how they looked in the photos..So to get an accurate idea of how big this is,please either check it out on the neck to get a rough idea (photo 2) or you can pull out a tape measure & compare to my given measurements
